3d printing

The world’s first 3D-printed gun, the Liberator, has been printed, assembled, successfully test-fired — and now the 3D CAD files are available to download, if you wish to create your own gun. A video of the Wiki Weapon being fired by Defense Distributed is embedded below, for your awe-stricken, panic-ridden delectation.

We’ve been following the 3D printed gun for a while now. In internet time, it’s been generations. In real time, it’s been less than a year or so. What is legally defined as a gun has already been printed, but technically that’s not the entire object, just some of the parts that make it work. Now, Defense Distributed, the company leading the way into the future of 3D-printed weaponry, has finally 3D-printed an entire gun — in both the sense that it is legally considered a gun, and that every single piece is 3D-printed.

This is turning out to be the decade of 3D printing. We’re seeing rapid adoption of 3D printers from both professional engineers and modeling enthusiasts alike, and now we’re entering the stage of full-color 3D printing for the masses. botObjects, a New York-based hardware and software company, has recently announced that it will be shipping the world’s first full-color desktop 3D printer.

A group of researchers at Princeton and Johns Hopkins have combined biology and electronics to create the first 3D printed organ — a bionic ear. While this is more of a technology demonstration, 3D printing continues to astound, showing that artificial organs of the future need not be limited to just biological tissues.

Cody Wilson, the founder of Defense Distributed, says he is just two weeks away from 3D printing an entire handgun, out of ABS plastic. Once Wilson has printed the gun and ensured that it works, the weapon’s 3D model files will be uploaded to the internet and open sourced — so that you and I can print an almost-undetectable firearm.

Texas Instruments launched its ARM-powered BeagleBone Black PC today, and it packs an impressive feature set that is sure to get enthusiasts’ attention. The successor to the original BeagleBone, the Black comes with faster hardware, lower power requirements, and a surprising $45 price point.

A new way to build computers is on the horizon, and Xerox intends to be the company that brings it to us. Their new technique, known as xerographic micro-assembly, breaks down old-fashioned silicon chip designs into thousands of tiny chiplets, and then custom assembles them with an advanced and mysterious 3D printing machine.

Defense Distributed, the organization known for being the driving force behind the 3D-printed gun movement, is now licensed to manufacture and sell firearms and ammunition in the United States. Over the weekend, the group posted a picture of the license on its Facebook page in celebration. Now, the legal status of selling these 3D-printed firearms is completely unambiguous.

We’ve been able to aid the body’s own repair of damaged bones for a relatively long time, but now we’re ready to use 3D-printing to completely replace damaged bone. Earlier this week, 75% of a patient’s skull was successfully replaced with 3D-printed material, and this is just the beginning.

These new 3D-printed cars can use less parts and lighter materials to offer the same functionality and safety with less complexity and energy required. With the Urbee 2, Kor Ecologic is making a small two-passenger vehicle with a 3D-printed exterior. It’s highly efficient, light, and extremely safe in spite of being made of plastic.